Orville Taylor, Contributor
He arrived just before Christmas, slipping in while some slept and others waited to see. With a full white beard and the ability to see who has been good and bad, it is tempting to think that this is Santa Claus. However, that is "Hardley" so. Thankfully, he is not, because his laugh would certainly offend his female deputy and assistant commissioners.
The debate is over, and all objections must be settled, because, as the Police Federation and Police Officers' Association have done, we must unite behind the new commissioner and his team. He is a sensible man, who, two years ago, not only spoke of the "mother of all garrisons," but most important, he recognised that real policing had to do with reducing the production of criminals and not simply the old methodology of superior firepower and increased state violence. The solutions are sociological and thankfully, several of his senior officers, as well as the chief of staff of the Defence Force are graduates who share intellectual space with the main sociologists in this country.
With a dollar that is slipping faster than politicians' credibility and popularity, a post-hurricane homicide rate which is the highest in history, and 20 police officers killed by criminals, the challenges are great. This rear admiral has to be a 'rare' admiral, in that he has the unique task of facing a set of young men, who are directionless, rudderless, and floating aimlessly in a sea of despair. With an unemployment rate of more than 40 per cent and declining numbers in post-secondary education, these very daunting youth, who are overdosed on testosterone, will prove to be a different set of seamen.
The task is made even more difficult when our leaders constantly fail the test of public scrutiny. Never mind that 'Driver' has only met half of his 100- day promises. Half a loaf is better than none. Still, there are too many who do 'loaf' and behave as if they are 'ill-bread'. Too many politicians show disrespect for law and order and poor manners to their opponents.
Missed 'distemper shot'
Now it appears that the disease of 'dissing' and poor temper management is infecting public servants. Perhaps, high-quality Director of Elections Danville Walker missed his 'distemper shot'. He might have prevented the main media houses from obtaining the election results and could possibly have controlled the most powerful opinion shakers in the country; however, his temper proved much more difficult to dominate, and after much pressing as Abe treated him like an ape, he ran out of patience and luck. Nonetheless, his loss of composure after handling two elections and a hurricane is still inexcusable. Like a class monitor, he cannot be the regularly errant politician who gets angry and faces down police officers. In such critical positions, we want more pluck for our buck, because a drake is not a duck. This teacher gives him an F.
On the part of his antagonist, one would have hoped that losing People's National Party candidate, Abe Dabdoub, would have had more than his hands full with the intractable Daryl Vaz. Not being a grass-roots man, he might not know the importance of not provoking public servants to 'wrath'. Abe needs to cook a traditional Christmas gungo rice and 'peace' dinner and invite both Vaz and Walker. Given the shortage of metals, it should be cooked in a yabba, Dabdoub.
Far too much bitter gall and blood have been spilt, so, unless we wash the place with bleach, there will be no white Christmas.
My Christmas wish is to have a sensible set of civil and civic leaders, who respect the law, civil and human rights, and especially themselves. I yearn for political unity. Can you imagine a Christmas tree decorated in red, orange and green, and if you look hard enough, a little blue? Hopefully, when we have them properly settled, then they will deserve a 20 per cent increase in salary. Maybe they should be given pay based on performance as suggested for other public servants. That, I imagine, would save the Government a whole lot on salaries and other emoluments.
By the way, after the Christmas, when the Government will be faced with redundancies and lay-offs, will there be a reduction in the number of ministers and advisers? I can think of at least a dozen parliamentarians who need to be retrenched.
Payback?
In facing the crime epidemic, Lewin says that he will be reducing the number of police stations but increasing the number of police personnel on the streets. That is certainly a model for the ministers and parliamentarians to study.
On a completely different note, it appears that the European Union (EU) has given to CARICOM a gift with the new economic partnership agreement. It involves access of professionals in 29 sectors and free trade. Furthermore, there are cooperative provisions as well. While it seems to be a concession, let us remember how Europe got its riches and ask whether it is not payback. Indeed, while the EU is again availing itself of our professionals in the bicentenary of the end of the transatlantic slave trade, England, who is mostly responsible for the historical underdevelopment of our people, is closing its doors with more stringent visa requirements.
What a travesty! We swear allegiance to a foreigner who denies us access to her house after having taught us to dash through snow, with reindeer and a sleigh. At least the Jamaica Labour Party has 'jingling bells', if even for a few votes.
I miss Neville Willoughby, who left us a year ago. At least, his songs we do have at Christmas JA.
Dr. Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
